Health Canada Recalls Balloon-Blowing Kit Sold on Walmart Marketplace Over Chemical Hazard

A balloon-blowing kit included in a Health Canada consumer advisory over concerns that children may inhale solvent vapours. (Health Canada/handout photo).Health Canada is warning consumers about children’s balloon-blowing kits sold on Walmart.ca Marketplace, saying the products may pose a chemical hazard because they contain solvents that can release harmful vapours when inhaled.The federal agency issued the advisory on Nov. 2, warning that children who blow up the balloons for extended periods may inhale solvent vapours.The kits consist of a tube containing a solvent mixture and short plastic straws. Children squeeze a small amount of the mixture onto the end of a straw and blow through it to create balloons or bubbles.One product is listed as the “Colour Balloon” balloon-blowing kit, also marketed as the KOYPTL Blow Bubble Balloon Toy. It is advertised for toddlers and children and has three SKU numbers: 6AN3SOQ0PTMW, 4B1NDHV7KTM0 and 3QCVF8FBWUN4.A second product is listed as “Colour Balloon” balloon-blowing kits, also marketed as Magic Bubble Gum Balloons for Kids. The seven-pack product has SKU number 2V0SKPV6D7RQ.Six units of the products were sold in Canada. No injuries or incidents have been reported to Health Canada to date.The agency said Walmart has removed the products from its online Marketplace store, and Health Canada has contacted the foreign third-party sellers and advised consumers to stop using the affected kits immediately.A balloon-blowing kit included in a Health Canada consumer advisory over concerns that children may inhale solvent vapours. Health Canada/handout photoProlonged exposure to the solvents may cause “early symptoms of central nervous system depression or dysfunction, including euphoria, hallucinations, dizziness, and difficulties with co-ordination of voluntary movements,” the advisory said.The statement noted that prolonged exposure can also lead to more serious symptoms, including “muscular twitching, unconsciousness and coma.”The distributors identified by Health Canada are Tojiyi, based in Guangzhou, Guangdong, and PawBabyBloom, based in Wuhan, Hubei, both in China.Health Canada said balloon-blowing kits containing solvents are prohibited in Canada under the Toys Regulations of the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act.Consumers who purchased the affected products should stop using them immediately and dispose of them according to their municipality’s hazardous waste guidelines, the agency said. It also encourages consumers to check the Healthy Canadians Recalls and Safety Alerts database for information about potentially dangerous products.